Fit For Faith

God created you as a whole person and so you need to take care of your whole self, not just the individual parts. There is a direct relationship between physical and spiritual health.

A healthy body will give you the energy and enthusiasm to carry out the purposes that God has for your life. Practicing healthy living is a way to glorify God. God created your body to be built for action therefore activity is needed to keep you fit. His law in nature is to exercise, eat right, and serve God. You need to take care of yourself and obey the law of nature.


12 exercise strategies that work!
1. Take it slow and steadyRemember that fitness is not a “quick fix.” This is a lifestyle change and you may experience setbacks and plateaus.

2. Schedule exercise inTake an honest look at how you spend your days. Schedule exercise in your daily planner just as you would with a business meeting or a doctor's appointment.

3. Track your progressKeep a chart of your progress and small improvements will become noticeable.

4. Follow the 10-minute ruleDecide to do only 10 minutes of exercise and then you can stop if you want. Generally, once you have started exercising you will not want to stop.

5. Team up with a friendA partner can make workouts more fun and push you to try harder. You will be more likely to stick to your plan if you have a partner. Join a walking club, a sports team or an aerobics class.

6. Do something else at the same timeYou can read or listen to books on tape while riding a stationary bike. You can also watch TV, listen to music, talk to God or think about a Scripture reading.

7. Create spaceCreate an area to call your own and make exercise so accessible that you have no excuse. Buy some low-priced equipment: an exercise bike, a resistance band, a set of dumbells, a stretching mat, a jump rope and an exercise video.

8. Look the partPut on workout clothes – do not just change into running shoes. If you look the part, you will feel the part.

9. Time it rightRemember, if you do not have the time for a full workout each day, break down your workouts into three or four smaller chunks of 10 minutes each.

10. Vary your routineYou may be less likely to get bored or injured if you change your routine. Walk one day and bicycle the next.

11. Have funTake the “work” out of workouts. Try something new and experiment until you find one that you like doing. The best fitness plan is one that you can easily include in your busy schedule and not just another thing to add to your “to-do” list.

12. Celebrate goals reachedEvery time you reach a goal, celebrate. Reward ideas may include making a long-distance phone call, treating yourself to a bubble bath, getting a pedicure, buying an extravagant bouquet, or subscribing to a magazine.

You need to set aside time every day to exercise, to pray and to bask in God’s love. Having a consistent time will help establish a routine. This may mean rising a little earlier in the morning while the rest of the family sleeps. Or it may mean closing your office door and turning off the phones at lunch. It could mean taking time between when the children return from school and dinner. Or it may mean spending time in the evening instead of watching television. It does not matter when, as long as you find a time to do it consistently.

May God bless your journey towards improved spiritual and physical health.

(Excerpt taken from “Fit for Faith – 7 weeks to improved spiritual & physical health” by Kimberley J. Payne)
On Tuesday October 11, Kimberley is hosting a special promotion for her e-book Fit for Faith - 7 weeks to improved spiritual & physical health. All who buy her book at Amazon.com on Oct 11th will receive special gifts with their purchase. You can learn more about Kimberley at http://kimberleypayne.wordpress.com/ .